CHAPTER VIII.
EDNA TOWNSHIP (CONT'D).
This is the only regularly platted town within the borders of Edna township, but, although it is situated in the midst of a rich agricultural country, on account of an absence of railroad facilities its growth has been slow. The village was platted in 1876, and the plat recorded, August 24th, of the following year, by Edward Porter, a pioneer of the township, whose daughter taught its first school more than twenty years before. In 1882 Mr. Porter made an addition to the village, surveyed by T. J. Townsend, which was filed for record April 14, 1884.
In 1867 A. J. Stewart built a flour mill on the present site of Reno. It was a frame structure sixteen by thirty-two feet, with sixteen-foot posts, furnished with two run of stones -- one for grinding wheat and one for corn -- and had bolts for making flour. In 1878, two years after the platting of the town, the mill passed into the hands of John Archer, a gallant Iowa soldier who had settled in Edna township several years after the close of the Civil War, and who was long a justice of the peace, a business man and an honored citizen of Reno.
The few business houses and industries of Reno, other than the mill, were established in 1876. J. J. Stein was the first merchant, while Breen & Dyer opened quite a flourishing general store in 1882. John Dyer, Sr., a son-in-law of Edward Porter and who was distinguished as being the first man to be married in Edna township, opened the first blacksmith shop in Reno, in 1876. It was subsequently conducted by his son. The first wagon shop was established the same year by Jacob Walters.
A terrible tragedy occurred at Reno, on the night of September 9, 1884, Jacob Steen, the postmaster, shooting his wife and then committing suicide. When found they were both dead. Mr. Steen and his wife were at their little store, across the street from their home, until 9 p. m. They walked home together, apparently happy, and before retiring the postmaster sat awhile with Dr. Snelson, in friendly conversation. Although he was of rather a nervous temperament, nothing unusual was noticed in his manner; but as no cause could be found for the commission of such a deed by a kind, Christian man, and a faithful official, without known enemies, it was credited to the account of one hwo was temporarily insane. The Steen family had lived at Reno for several years, and had lost two children in infancy. Mrs. Steen was an Ohio lady, both of her aged parents living in that State at the time of her sad death. Mr. Steen's father, with two of his sisters, resided in the country not far from Reno. The ex-postmaster had been a leader in Sunday-school work, had held the office of secretary of the school board for eight years, and was in other respects a prominent citizen in whom the community had the utmost confidence.
"Compendium and History of Cass County, Iowa." Chicago: Henry and Taylor & Co., 1906, pp. 121-122.
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, November, 2013.
